Toby Keith dead at 62 after stomach cancer battle

(NewsNation) — Country music star Toby Keith, 62, died Monday night after his battle with stomach cancer.

“He fought his fight with grace and courage,” the family said in a statement on the singer’s social media accounts.

He was surrounded by family at the time of his passing, and the family has asked for privacy during this time of grief.

Keith announced his cancer diagnosis to the public in 2022 but was diagnosed in the fall of 2021.

Tributes for the singer began to pour in early Tuesday morning.

“Too many rides in my old man’s car listening to Toby Keith. Really hard thing to hear. Rest in peace friend, we love you,” country music singer Zach Bryan shared on social media.

Sometimes a polarizing figure in country music, the singer broke out in the country boom years of the 1990s, crafting an identity around his macho, pro-American swagger and writing songs that fans loved to hear.

Over his career, he publicly clashed with other celebrities and journalists and often pushed back against record executives who wanted to smooth his rough edges.

He was known for his overt patriotism on post-9/11 songs like “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue,” and boisterous barroom tunes like “I Love This Bar” and “Red Solo Cup.”

He had a powerful booming voice, a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor and a range that carried love songs as well as drinking songs.

Among his 20 No. 1 Billboard hits were “How Do You Like Me Now?!,” “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” “As Good As I Once Was,” “My List” and “Beer for My Horses,” a duet with Willie Nelson.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.